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Seven doesn’t want to alienate Big Brother’s biggest fans

With the ink on the contract barely dry, Seven programming boss says a lot of decisions around BB are yet to be finalised.

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Big Brother fans hoping for more detail on Seven’s plans for 2020 were left to wonder what shape the show will take.

There was no announcement yet on host or location at Seven’s 2020 Upfronts.

Seven’s ink on the Endemol Shine contract is less than a week dry, meaning discussions are still ongoing. Director of Programming, Angus Ross told TV Tonight change does not mean fans have to put aside all of their expectations.

“I don’t think you have to put all of it aside,” he explained.

“I don’t want to go into the specifics of what we’re planning because some of them are still to be debated.

“But it won’t be Live,” he confirmed, adding, “I am expecting to have a host.

“There are certain nods to nostalgia required with that show. Like any show there are super-fans and we certainly don’t want to alienate them.

“So those are discussions we will be having with Endemol Shine in coming weeks.”

The word “Revolution” and phrase “the game has changed” has fuelled fan speculation about housemates voting one another out, as depicted in North American editions.

“You’re right where the inspiration comes from but I wouldn’t say it will be singularly like the Canadian or US show,” Ross continued.

“Nearly everything I’ve seen written about it is rubbish, particularly around where things will be based. It’s not decided yet.

“What’s not rubbish is how many applications they’ve had for this show. They’ve never seen anything like it.”

You can apply here.

65 Responses

  1. Well the American version is only live for the evictions but they have a 24 hour live streaming channel that viewers pay for if you want to binge it. Then you have the spoilers who tell you who won the challenges etc before they air a few days later. You kinda don’t have to watch the show because you can see online who wins what except the evictions.

  2. Echo pretty much all below and to me the “It won’t be live,” makes me think oh okay so this will be edited like My Kitchen Rules, House Rules, in short this will be Big Brother Rules because that is how I see 7 edit shows. Sure 10 and 9 also had non-live shows for primetime, however what made it work on 10 which caused it it stutter on 9 as they didn’t was Up Late. Up Late provided a frame work that in it’s a way gave us the audience a feel for the show when the contestants behaved much like in the recorded shows, took away oh they’re probably just making [insert name] look like that way, as we saw live they were that way think say Fitzy with the kitchen knife (turkey slap is a different scenario).

    Really 7 have to get opn-top of this or they will find the audience not turn-up, either the revolution format is like the overseas versions as mentioned on the BB AU Wikipedia page…

  3. To play devil’s advocate…going live could actually save a bit of money from a costly production. The daily shows generally cover about 24 hours in the house, but with only 5 shows a week, stuff that happens on Friday or Saturday in the house can be lost in the broadcast. This way, they could treat 5 days of filming as a week of shows, and then film for a shorter time period than the broadcast. They would also not be as pressured in the editing room. They could still have a public vote for the winner after they’ve got done to final three or something (like in Canada and US I believe). I also wouldn’t mind seeing more strategy with housemates voting each other out (Ala Survivor). It will be different, and that may alienate die hard fans, but a carbon copy of the original BB could also flop in today’s TV landscape…

  5. To echo everyone with half a brain, this is a bad idea. How on earth did 7 come to this decision? If a younger demo is what they’re after, another pre-recorded, highly edited show isn’t the way to do it.
    This isn’t BB, it’s a glorified game show.

  6. Why you wouldn’t have a live Sunday night eviction episode at the very least beggars belief. I mirror what everyone else is saying, channel seven need to rethink how they do this or it will be a massive and costly flop for them.

  7. No live shows? Well that sucks. Us not being able to vote them out also sucks but I can get over that. But the live shows, live stream etc need to be there.
    You’ve already put off bbs biggest fans. This needs to go back to the original, it’s what we all want, seven why aren’t you listening to us?????
    I’ll still watch but I fear it won’t be the best.

  9. To not air Big Brother live would be a regressive step taken by a lazy Seven Network. Sure it would be easier and cheaper but I don’t believe the audience would warm to it. As others have said, the live element was integral to the show’s appeal. Anything could happen and we didn’t feel as though networks were the main ones charge. The audience and housemates were. Viewers don’t want a revolution, they want a return to real reality television.

  10. For him to say the following: “There are certain nods to nostalgia required with that show. Like any show there are super-fans and we certainly don’t want to alienate them.”
    …then expect it to be totally different, with a few familiar elements thrown in.

    But what frustrates me about all these long running shows coming back these days is, they all went off the air for a reason didn’t they? Unless those circumstances have changed (e.g. change in format or even the TV market itself), it’s inevitable that audiences will soon remember why they left in the first place. Time will tell if Big Brother is soon evicted or has another long run.

    1. Hopefully they realise that from all the “rubbish” rumours that have been written, not being Live is what will really alienate the die hard fans the most.

  14. Channel 7 you have no idea what you’re doing! Two major non-negotiable rules you should follow in business are – if the format ain’t broke, don’t fix it and differentiate from your competition by offering them an incentive to tune back in which live television offers. There is such a thing as a fear of missing out. A live television show format creates many more jobs for people in this country and the live eviction shows allowed families to get together and dress up, make signs and cheer on their favourite housemates! It was a fantastic atmosphere that will be missed. You have alienated me Channel 7 before you have even started the show. The people responsible for this mess should all be fired effective immediately.

  15. I know that the weeknight shows were prerecorded, but the live element was one of the major factors in BB, whether it was the live elimination, Friday night games or 24 hour live streaming, even with short time-delay contingency in case something unsuitable happened.

  16. 9 did BB UK style and it flopped, not to mention the host was not the best option. 10 did it Australian style. a great host and the show evolved along the way. sadly 10 decided it was time for Gretel to go which sadly was another nail in the coffin, the new hosts and format not only finished nailing the coffin, they sent it to the crematorium. there was no undoing what had be done in season 8.

    1. I can only imagine 7 failing hard to deliver something the fans will enjoy. The US series is I believe the longest running and still popular, but they went pre-recorded from the beginning, We didn’t. I think not doing it live will actually not only alienate the die hard fans, but everyone watching. a big part of the show is having the power to evict housemates, it gives the viewers control of the show.

      Please leave BB where it belongs, a fond memory in our hearts.

    2. In so many ways, she was the antithesis of the typical television host, and it was fantastic seeing her again in her surprise appearance on The Masked Singer. Gretel added a lot to BB with her maternal influence and pulling the younger housemates into line (whereas Sonia was too “nice”, likely because she wasn’t yet a mother at the time and perhaps had more patience for grown adults behaving like children). Also, the way Gretel would routinely scold the producers via her earpiece never ceased to amuse. My only criticism is that wardrobe’s made her wear some real shockers over the years. But she was always a pleasure to watch, even in those rare moments where it seemed as if she was *this* close to losing her cool, and who could blame her? It’s a stressful gig.

      TEN couldn’t be more off the mark when they cast the also-infantile Kyle and Jackie O for its ill-fated eighth season.

      1. I would rather have another season with Kyle and Jackie O hosting it Channel 10 style then what Channel 9 did to the format and now what Channel 7 is going to do to stuff it all up! Surely you have to agree with that? I agree with the rest of what you have said though.

        1. 10 failed in season 8 by trying to fix something that wasn’t broken, they wanted Gretel gone, if ratings where falling they should have rested the show for a year or two.

          9 was always going to fail at the show, Sonia was the worst choice. but Gretel left big shoes to fill, the producers may not have wanted her around anymore but the audience loved Gretel and still do. 7 will kill anything left of the series. regardless of who hosts it. the only way to actually bring the show back is to go back to what made it popular in the beginning. Random Aussies from different backgrounds, who are cookie and crazy but are interesting. A host that not only the housemates warm to but the audience as well.

          Live evictions and voting by the public. 2 intruders instead of 237, lol. keep it simply but surprising. the show after all is about watching people adapt to life in the house without the…

  17. One word describes this shows new format: Boring!!!!!!
    No audience interaction will kill it.
    The whole point of the show was that the contestants are controlled by big brother I.e. the outside world. They had no control of who who got voted out
    Good luck keeping winner secret if is pre recorded weeks in advance.

  18. In an era where networks would be (I’m assuming) begging for live viewers, I thought BB would be an ideal solution. Not to mention eyeballs to 7plus for additional streams. I have no desire to watch another heavily edited season full of gimmicks to fill televised eps. I want the real, live, anything-could-happen series filled with water cooler chat.

    It’s time to go, Big Brother.

  19. I can almost come to bear the whole housemates voting each other out thing, if they keep the live eliminations. Part of the effect it has is we get to see the genuine, un-edited reactions of the ousted housemates. And that is something, at least from my recollection, that we don’t see currently in Australian television. Would something like Merlin’s “Free th refugees” protest make it to air in a pre-recorded version? Sure, it might be awkward for the host to handle (and Gretel handled it extremely well) but it makes great television and we are still talking about it.

  20. For some reason, Seven hate live entertainment tv. But they don’t get that it’s the only point of difference they have to go up against the streamers.

  21. That one comment “But it won’t be live” has now done exactly what they said they didn’t want to do. They have now alienated Big Brother’s biggest fans before its even started. This is going to be a major flop I feel.

  22. It wont be live.. then what’s the point? It’s not Big Brother. If you are going to completely change the show, which they are, then why not just call it something different? It would save a lot of their money too.

  24. I think BB can adapt to a new Game-Format (have Housemates plot to vote each other rather than it be a big popularity contest with Australia’s vote) but I think everything else from the OG format has to be there – a live production, big live shows, 24/7 feeds.

    Those are the corners that can’t get cut if the show has any chance of being successful

  25. “But it won’t be Live” this comment has already alienated me. I have spoken to a few others too and they also feel the same. The live element of the show was the best part with the eliminations, nominations, Friday night games etc etc etc

    2. Totally agree with you. The excitement was amazing with live evictions. Wont be the same. If they wanted to do this US style they could at least have the public voting to evict but the contestants able to discuss alliances. I dont hold much hope!

    3. Same as what makes I’m a Celebrity engaging… the ability to force the same pwrson to do all the food challenges, then evict them on Sunday. “Appointment Television”.

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